Teresa's Hearty Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta (italian bacon), thickly sliced
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon dried italian herb seasoning
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 6 chicken thighs with skin and bone
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 1 pound baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 cup dry red , or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
• 2 tablespoons water (optional)
• 1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
• freshly shredded parmesan cheese to taste
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Recipe

Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 50 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 15 mins


• heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the pancetta until it begins to turn dark brown, 5 to 8 minutes. remove the pancetta pieces from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• mix the flour, italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes in a shallow bowl.
• press the chicken thighs into the flour mixture, tapping off any loose flour.
• brown the chicken thighs in the skillet with the oil and pancetta drippings, 8 to 10 minutes per side. transfer the chicken thighs to a platter and keep warm.
• cook and stir the green bell pepper, sweet onion, and portobello mushrooms in the same skillet until the onion turns translucent, about 8 minutes.
• stir the basil, garlic, tomato paste, diced tomatoes with their juice, and red into the sauce.
• bring the sauce to a boil, and return the chicken and pancetta to the sauce. if sauce does not almost cover the chicken pieces, mix in more dry red .
• reduce heat to low, and simmer the chicken and sauce until the chicken thighs are tender and no longer pink inside, 35 to 50 minutes.
• if you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk cornstarch with water and 1 tablespoon of the sauce, and stir the mixture into the skillet until thickened.
• about 15 minutes before serving time, bring a large pot of lightly salted water and bring to a boil.
• stir in the rigatoni and return to a boil. cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through but is still slightly firm, about 13 minutes; drain.
• to serve, transfer the cooked rigatoni to a large platter and top with the chicken thighs.
• generously ladle sauce over the chicken and pasta, and sprinkle the dish with parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper. serve any extra sauce on the side.